Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators

In 2017, Ronan Farrow began investigating allegations of sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein, a pursuit that uncovered a coordinated system of suppression. The book documents how NBC News executives attempted to block the reporting, forcing Farrow to move his work to The New Yorker. He details the tactics used by Black Cube, a private intelligence firm staffed by former Mossad agents, to track and intimidate journalists and whistleblowers. The narrative names the media figures and legal teams who employed legal threats and non-disclosure agreements to silence victims and maintain a culture of impunity.

Readers interested in investigative journalism and structural corruption find here a map of how powerful institutions protect themselves. It provides a look at the tradecraft of corporate espionage and the mechanics of "catch and kill" practices used by tabloids to bury damaging stories. Those who study institutional power walk away with a clear understanding of the alliances between media conglomerates, law firms, and private spies that allow systemic abuse to persist behind closed doors.

Outward-looking and clear-cut; a moderate read.

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